Multiple opposed piston engine



Nov. 13, 1945; w. MEYERs 2,388,756

MULTIPLE OPPOSED PISTON ENGINE Filed. April 21, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13, 1945. w. G. MEYERS MULTIPLE OPPOSED PISTON ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1943 PatenteiLNov. 13, 1945- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,888,756 &

5132512 53135.31 1 :13: Application April 21, 1(;l3,1:;::l1?o- 483,891

Claims.

I Thepbjectsoi' this invention are: first, to provide, in an engine, pump, or compressor, greater piston displacement per unit of weight; second,

greater piston displacement per unit of bulk; third, greater piston displacement per unit of cost; fourth, perfect balance of all reciprocating parts of each cylinder, and fifth, a construction metric view of the mechanism, and Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a construction in which a second cylinder is placed below the crankshaft and has its pistons connected to said crankshaft through the mechanism herein described, and,

also other features hereinafter described. Fig. 4 comprises a modification of this invention, shown diagrammatically. 7

Similar numerals refer to similar parts.

throughout the several views.

An engine, pump, or compressor embodying this invention would comprise a plurality of pistons I, 2, 3, and 4 for each of its cylinders. Pistons I and 2 are fixed together by means of strut 5 and pistons 3 and 4 by strut 6. Said struts are provided with bosses I and 8 which are embraced by the bifurcated ends of walking beams 9 and I0, said struts and walking beams being pivotally connected together by pins II and i2. Said walking beams are pivotally mounted upon pins I3 and I4, said pins being mounted in links I5 and I t. Said links comprise a plurality of arms ii and It, and i9 and M respectively, mounted or formed upon hubs as shown, said hubs being pivotally mounted on pins 2i and 22 which may be mounted in the engine frame 23. Arms 24 and 25 of said walking beams are bifurcated to engage connecting rods 26 and 21 and are pivotally connected to same by pins 28 and 29, said connecting rods being pivotally mounted on crankpins 30 and 3! of crankshaft 32. I

The reciprocating motion of the pistons is thus transmitted to pins 28 and 29 and converted into rotary motion through the action of connecting rods 26 and 21 upon crankshaft 32 in the manner well known in the art.

The engine illustrated in Fig. l operates on the two stroke cycle, uniflow scavenging principle. Incoming air under pressure enters the cylinders through admission ports 33, 34, and 35 and the exhaust gases are expelled through ports 36 and exhaust valves 31, 38, 39, and 40, there being three combustion chambers M, 42 and 43 for each cylinder. Said exhaust valves are shown as pressed into same and pinned or through the use of piston pins or spherical joint connections, all of these constructions being well known in the art.

Openings 46 and 41 are provided in the cylinders through which pins II and I2 may be removed to allow linksI5 and I6, walking beams 9 and Ill, and connecting rods 26 and 21 to drop into crankcase 4B in order to allow removal of pistons I, 2, 3, and 4 from cylinders.

In Fig. 3 the above described mechanism is shown in plural form with the exception that only one crankshaft is used, connecting rods 49 and 50 of the lower mechanism being mounted on crankpins 30 and 3| beside connecting rods 26 and H of the upper mechanism. In addition, a means of operating a plurality of compressor pistons 5| and 52 is shown. This consists of lever arms 68 and BI formed on links 62 and B3 and pivotally fastened to connecting links 56 and 5! by pins 58 and 59, said connecting links being further pivotally attached to piston rods 53 and 54 by pins 55. Pistons 5i and 52 would, of course, be properly guided in suitable cylinders in the manner well known in the art and piston rods 53 and 53 would also be guided in suitable packing boxes or guides. All elements of the compressor would thus conform to construction well known in the art except the operating mechanism described. The purpose of the compressor cylinders is to provide scavenging and/or charging air to the engine cylinders, or, if the invention were applied to a compressor, pistons 5i and 52 could handle the first stage and pistons I, 2, 3, 4, 63, 61 etc. the second or higher pressure stages.

Counterweights l0 and ii, formed on link members I5 and I6 are provided to balance the inertia forces set up by the oscillation of said link members. Counterweights 10 and H are also formed on the link members 62 and 63 for the same purpose.

The compressor cylinders in which pistons 5i and 52 operate could be supercharged-by a suitable blower driven mechanically by the engine crankshaft 32 or by an exhaust gas turbine.

An alternative construction would provide a plurality of crankshafts, connecting rods 21 and 49 being connected to one of such shafts, and 26 and 50 to the other, the two crankshafts then being drivably connected, either directly or indirectly, by gears or connecting rods or not connected at all. A further alternative of this arrangement would consist in pivotally fastening connecting rods 26 and 21 to one crankshaft and rods 49 and 50 to the other.

It is, of course, understood that the cylinders I being suitably connected, through connecting rods,

to a common crankshaft, said walking beams being also pivoted, at substantially their midpoints or thereabouts, to link members, said link members being in turn pivotally mounted at their opposite ends upon stationary pins so as to allow said walking beams to oscillate with a motion which allows the piston ends of such walking beams to move in a straight line parallel with the piston motion.

2. In an engine, pump, or compressor, the use of four pistons reciprocably operating in one cylinder, each pair of pistons being connected together by a strut member, said strut member being pivotally connected, at substantially its midpoint, to one end of a walking beam, there being thus two of said walking beams for four pistons, the opposite ends of the said walking beams being suitably connected, through connecting rods, to a plurality of crankshafts, said walking beams being also pivoted, at substan-- tially their mid-points or thereabouts, to link members, said link members being in turn pivotally mounted at their opposite ends upon stationary pins so as to allow said walking beams to oscillate with a motion which allows the piston ends of such walking beams to move in a straight line parallel with the piston motion.

3. In a device of the type described, a cylinder having inlet and outlet ports, at least founpistons mounted for reciprocal motion in said cylinder, two crankshafts, and kinematic means, said kinematic means being connected with said pistons and said crankshafts to impart rotary motion thereto.

4. In a device of the type defined in claim 3, said four pistons comprising two pairs of pistons, one of said pistons in each pair being connected with the other of said pistons in said pair, and each one of said pairs of pistons beingconnected to one of said crankshafts by said kinematic means.

5. In a device of the type described, a cylinder, said cylinder being provided with inlet and outlet ports, at least four pistons mounted for reciprocal motion in said cylinder, a crankshaft, and kinematic means, said kinematic means being connected with said pistons and said crankshaft to impart rotary motion to said crankshaft, said cylinder being provided with a constant inner diameter throughout its length.

6. In a device of the type described in claim 5, said four pistons comprising two pairs of pistons,

- each one of said pistons in said pairs being connected with the other of said pistons in said pair,

said kinematic means connecting each pair of said pistons to said crankshaft to impart rotary motion thereto.

7. In a device of the type described, a cylinder having inlet and outlet ports and being provided with a uniform inner diameter throughout its length, a crankshaft, at least two pairs of pistons mounted for reciprocal motion within said cylinder, a strut rigidly connecting one piston of each of said pairs with the other piston of each of said pairs, and means pivotally connecting each of said struts with said crankshaft to impart rotary motion thereto.

8. In a device of the type as described in claim 7, said struts being adapted to reciprocate in a straight line within said cylinder, said connecting means comprising a walking beam and connecting rods, each of said walking beams having one of its ends pivotally connected to each of said struts for straight line movement therewith, the other end of each of said walking beams being pivotally connected with one of said connecting rods and being adapted for oscillating movement therewith.

9. In a device of the type described in claim 3,

each end of said cylinder being provided with a cylinder head. I

10. In a device of the type described in claim 3, each end of said cylinder being provided with a cylinder head, each of said cylinder heads being provided with a plurality of valves.

11. In a device of the type described in claim 3, each end of said cylinder being provided with a cylinder head, each of said cylinder heads being provided with a plurality of valves, a cam for actuating each of said valves, and means for actuating each of said cams.

I 12. In a device of the type described in claim 5, each end of said cylinder being provided with a cylinder head.

13. In a device of the type described in claim 5, each end of said cylinder being provided with a cylinder head, each of said cylinder heads being provided with a plurality of valves.

14. In a device of the type described in claim 5, each end of said cylinder being provided with a cylinder head, each of said cylinder heads being provided with a plurality of valves, a cam for actuating each of said valves, and means for actuating each of said cams.

15. In a device of the type described, a cylinder having inlet and outlet ports and being provided with a uniform inner diameter throughout its length, a crankshaft, at least two pairs of pistons mounted for reciprocal motion within said cylinder, a strut rigidly connecting one piston of each of said pairs with the other piston of each of said pairs, means pivotally connecting each of said struts with said crankshaft to impart rotary motion thereto, said struts being adapted to reciprocate in a straight line within said cylinder, said connecting means comprising a walking beam and connecting rods, each of said walking beams having one of its ends pivotally connected to each of said struts for straight line movement therewith, the other end'of each of said walking beams being pivotally connected with one of said connecting rods and being adapted'for oscillating movement therewith, and a link, said link having one of its ends pivotally connected to said device, the other end of said link being pivotally connected to said walking beam intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to oscillate therewith.

' WILLIS GORDON MEYERS. 

